Vending machine



" f 1,635,4 2 July 12,1927. I I J. zscwos} 5 J VENDING MACHINE Originai Filed De c.l5, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet] )NKENTOR. Ju/iux Zro/oo/ ATT RIVEYS,

J. ZSOLDOS VENDIN MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 15, 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 AT ORNEYS.

July 12, 1927.

- 1,635,452 J. ZSOLDQS VBNDI NG MACHINE Original Filed Dec, 15, 1919 3 Sheot's-Shee t 3- INVENTOR.

Patented July 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES v 1,635,452 PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS ZSOLDOS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AUTOMAT EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

VENDING MACHINE.

Original application filed December 15, 1919, Serial No. 344,828. Divided and this application filed October 11,1922.

This case is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 344,828, filed December 15, 1919.

The invention is a vending machine and particularly adapted for employment in the vending of food in automatic restaurants, although its use .is, manifestly, not restricted to this environment.

Machines for the automatic vending of foods have heretofore been used, but such machines are so constituted that each vending compartment thereof requires its own complete operating mechanism so that these YtlI'lOllS compartments, with the r own llldlvidual operating units, are assembled in tiers or rows withthe mechanism for operating them duplicated as many times as there are compartments. While these structures worked tolerably well in the carrying out of their functions, a great waste in space in installation is required, through the duplication of the operating devices as specified, and also a great financial outlay is required in the installation of any number of compartments. l

With these considerations in mind, the object of the present invention, in its broad sense, is to provide a machine wherein any number of compartments may be controlled from a unitary 'c'oin'actuated device, embodying a single coin slot, and controllable by any. predetermined number of coins to actuate simple a'djunctive devices associated with each closure through the medium of a common or junitary electrical selective push button system.

In the present invention where the'unitary controlling system is common to any number of compartments, 'no duplication is required as heretofore, and, for a given space, compartments may be installed by the present lnvention in much greater numbers than was possible under the prior practice. Moreover, the cost of installation of the present invention is but a relatively small fraction of the cost of any of the prior art systems because it is unnecessary to duplicate the parts as heretofore when the present inven 'tion is practiced.

Features of the invention other than those specifiedwill be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings I have il- Serial No. 593,802.

cent vending compartments and the electrical connections and devices for relocking the same; I

Figure 2 is a perspective detail of switch mechanism shown in Figure 2;

Figures 3 and 4 are detached details of coin balance construction employed, showing the same in different operative positions;

Figure 5 is a wiring diagram of a selective push button system or unit by means of which the opening of a plurality of com.- partments' may selective manner; and

Figure 6 is a detail fragmental perspective section of coin chute construction which I preferably employ.

In the accompanying drawings, a food vending machine of the present invention is shown as embodying the several-features of construction and associated wiring, which, for the purpose of clearness, will first be described separately, and later in conjunction with one another so that their conjoint in-,

teraction and cooperation may be more fully and thoroughly understood.

In installing the food vending machine,

be controlled in an efiicient j r the compartments from which the food is v vended may embody any desired structural features or peculiarities'in design as may be desired, so long as the general arrangement of the compartments relative to one another is carried out after the general manner shown in Figure 2. In this figure, which is not to be construed as limiting the invention to any specific form, two substantially complete compartments are shown and the adion this bank or tier of compartments, which may be duplicated side by side, is construct able manner to allow of their being raised or lowered into 0 en or closed position. Each of the front oors is provided with a keeper 9, by means of which it may be normally locked in closed position, and at the upper edge of each door is preferably provlded a sprin 10, the purpose of which is to move the cor into slightly open position as soon'as released or unlocked by mechanism hereinafter to be described. The

front doors are preferably provided with glass or otherwise transparent panels, so that the contents of the compartments may be viewed by the prospective purchasers, but, in practice, the back doors are preferably made opaque so as to conceal the space back of the compartments. In the carrying out of its functiens, the several compartments are charged by an attendant who introduces the food into the compartments through the rear door which'is thereafter closed. At this time the front door is adapted to be locked and remains locked until the prospective purchaser-has introduced a coin or coins into the machine, and through j suitable mechanism the door is unlocked to allow of the removal of the food.

.In' order that'the machine-may function in its predetermined manner, and in accordance withthis invention, there is associated with this machine a coinslot 11, only one of which is required for practically any number of compartments, and back of this coin slot,

' which is formed in a suitable panel 12 of the machine, 1s positioned a coin chute 13, shown in Figure 1, so that the coin introduced through the coin slot 11 passes through the coin chute 13 to the coin controlled meeha nism operating in accordance with the pre determined number of coins required for the functioning of the machine, to bring about a step by step advance of an electrical mul tiple contact makerso as to assure the op erations of the machine only when'the predetermined number of coins has been de posited therein. This multiple contact maker is designated, as a whole, 14, in Figure 1. The coin in passing through the machine is directed by suitable mechanism, hereinafter to be described, which serves to" count the number of coins deposited, so that the proprietor may know the number of sales of the machine at a glance, actuates further mechanism which determines whether the coin shall be finally deposited in the mawith and drops into a tray chine or returned to the prospective urchas'er, renders operable selective push lit ton mechanism by virtue of which any one described in connect-ion with one another.

These general elements are the upper coin balance 15, into which the coin comes into cooperative relation upon leaving the coin chute 13, the lower balance 16 into which the coin next comes'into engagement, the final coin chute 17 which is divided into two branches, 18 and 19, the former of which directs the coin to be deposited in the machine, and the latter of which causes it to be returned to the prospective purchaser, and the accept. and reject electrical magnet arrangement 20, which controls the direction of the coin into either of the branches 18 and 19. Besides these, mechanisms just described which lie in the immediate path of the coin through the machine, there are other mechanisms, electrical and mechanical, which are conditioned by the mechanisms just described'through switch mechanism 21 r .to render adjunctivc devices 22, one ofwhich is associated with front door 6 of each com-. partment, responsive to the operations of-a push button mechanism 23 embodying push:

each" of which is toclose and lock the front door.

The conjoint operation of the various parts of the machine referred to, together with the further elements of construction will now be described as they coordinate and cooperate during the passage offa coin through the machine, and in setting forth these elements a specific structure and mode of operation will be clearly explained." a

A coin introduced into the coin slot 11 enters the coin chute13, gravitates the length of said coinchute into cooperative relation 25, forming a part of the upper balance 15. This upper balance 15 is in the form of a lever 26 fulcrumed intermediate its ends at 27, and carrying at'one of its ends the tray 25. At' the other end the lever is weighted with a suitable adjustable counterbalance 28, and preferably between the counterbalance 28 and the fulcrum 27 is a movable contact 29. Cooperating with the contact 29, and normally spaced therefrom is a contact 30 provided with a cushioning spring 31 The contacts 29 and 30 are connected by electrical wiring to a source of electrical supply 32, which wiring includes such elements that when the coin drops into the tray and overbalances the upper balance to complete the circuit at the contacts 29 and 30,.the following closed circuit is "established. From the source of electrical supply 32, through the wires 33and 34 to the contact 29 and from the contact through the wires 35, 36 and 37, back to the source'of supply. Included, however, in the wires 35 and 36 is a solenoid 38 which forms one element of the multiple-point contact maker 14.

The multiple-point contact maker may vary in structure without departing from the spirit of the invention, but a very effi- .cient construction isshown in Figure 1 of the drawings- Upon a suitable block of insulation 39 is mounted two coils 38 and 40,-the coil 38 constituting a. solenoid, and the coil 40 a simple'electro-magnet. Journalled for rotation in the insulation 39 is a spring 48. An adjustable stop 49 is adapted 'to limit the upward movement of the pawl, while downward or retrograde movement of the pawl is accomplished through its connection 50 with core 51 of the solenoid 38. When the solenoid 38 is energized, its core is drawn in with the result that the arm 46 is drawn .downwardly against the tension of the spring 48. However, as soon as the current is broken and the solenoid 38 deenergized, the spring 48 returns the arm to a position against the stop 49, but during this movement the pawl 47, which is in en'- gagement with the ratchet, rotates the ratchet in a counter-clockwise direction. The dis tance of movement of the pawl, being regulated by the adjustable stop 49, is such that at each energization of the solenoid 38, and subsequent deenergization thereof, the contact arm 42 will be advanced one'contact. That is to say, each time the solenoid 38 isvoperated the arm 42 is caused to make one forward step to the next contact 45. To preclude the return of the contact arm 42 to its initial position when released by the pawl 47, a second pawl, termed alocking pawl, and designated 52, is normally held in engagement with the ratchet 41 by a spring 53, and serves to normally lock the ratchet against retrograde rotation. It will be here noted, however,'that the locking pawl 52 is secured by connection 54 to the armature 55 of the ma net 40, so thatat proper times, as more fully explained hereinafter, the locking pawl may be retracted to allow of the return of the ratchet and contact arm 42 to initial position. This retrograde movement of the ratchet and contact arm is automatically accomplished by a spring 56 coiled about the pintle of the ratchet wheel.

All of the mechanism thus far described as I mounted on the insulating block 39, is on the front of the block,,but, in addition thereto,

there is mounted on the rear of the block, a

selecting switch 57. This. switch, although which carries the ratchet 41 and contact arm 42, is insulated therefrom. The contacts 45 extend completely through the block 39, and the selecting switch 57'is adapted to be shift-. cd into engagement with any particular contact desired when adjusting themachine. i It is the position of this switch which controls the number of coins which it is required. to

deposit in the machine before the machine the result that the contact preferably mounted for rotation on the pintle.

to complete the dispensing operations. Two

other'coins must be introduced and operate in the same manner as the first coin before, through their successive operations, the movable-contact 43 will have come into engage ment with the contact 45, the rear end of which is in engagement with the selecting switch 57. As each coin' is successively dropped in tray 25 of the upper balance and weighs down said tray it immediately rolls off the tray, after completing the circuit at the contacts 29 and 30, into a chute 58, and

the tray returns to normal position to receive the next coin. Thus a lurality of successive tiltings of the upper alance 15 brings the arm 42 and selecting switch 57 into cooperative relation.

I The coins, the chute 58, fall upon one end of the lower balance arm 84, which is fulcrumed at 59 and falling succession through I carries two movable contacts 66 and 61. The

other contact 62,

weight of the coins on the lower balance brings the contact 60 into contact withanwith' the result that the.

following circuit is partially completed.

From thec'ont'act 60, through the wire 63 tothe main 33 leading to the source of electrical supply, and from the contact 62through the wire 64 to one terminal. B of a selective push button system which is a com-- plete unit within itself and has two terminals, the terminal B referred to, and another terminal A. The circuit from the contact 62 leads into the selective push button system at the terminal B and out of said;

system at A. From A the circuit continues through wire 65, through a magnet 66 and thence to the main 37 connected with; the source of supply. The magnet 66 forms an element of a relay switch 21 which also em-- bodies another magnet 68. The magnet 66 has an armature 69 andthe magnet 68 hasan armature 70, and these armatures 69 and 70 are operable to control the opening and closing of a pair of electric switches 71 and 72 as will be hereinafter more fully 'explained. If the circuit .completed'by the ,coins at'the ccintacts 60 and 62 were otherwise'complete,1the making of the circuit at such contacts would cause the magnet 66 to he energized, but this isnot the case since the selective ush button system which forms a connection et-ween 1ts terminals Aand B is normally an open circuit, and is only closed is a complete electrical circuit or unit in itself, having inlet and outlet terminals A and B so that it is, practically speaking, out into the remainder of the electrical wiring of the machine, and in order that this system may be clearly understood a wiring diagram thereof is shown in Figure 5, while Figure 1 shows all the wiring of Figure 5, but in conjunction therewith the mechanisms which are included in the wiring of such system. Referring to this unitary system, between its terminals A and B there are two distinct mechanical elements employed. The first is a push button mechanism, and the second is an associated magnet, and the mechanical parts which it operates control additional electrical circuits. Thiselectro-magnet and associated parts has been previously referredto as a door opening magnet 22.

The push button mechanism is very clearly diagrammatically shown in Figure 1, each push utton 23 having aninsulating core -llXCtl contacts.v Back'ofeach vpush button is 'a spring 73 which normally retracts the push which carries metallic lugs or contacts which are movable with't 1e push button, and at either side of the push I button, and in the path of travel of the metallic plugs, are

thc retracted position of the push button,

some of the fixed contacts are plugged, and that when the pushbutton is pressed, the cir-- cuit is broken at these contacts and the circuitsimultaneously closed at other contacts. This plug switch construction will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art from th showing in Figures 1 and 5.

\Vith each push button switch is associated one of the door opening magnets 22. The magnet itself is designated 74, and is pro vided with an armature 75, pivoted at 76, and provided with a substantially right-augular extension 77. The nose of the extension 77 serves to control the operations of a switch 7 8, while the face of the-extension 77 controls a second switch 79. The armaiture is normally held in the position shown in Figure 1 by aspring 80. It will be noted in-Figure 1 that the switch 78 is in-' cluded in one of the leads to the magnet 74, and it may also be added, though hereinafter more fully explained, that the switch 79 is included in a signaling system for theattendant, and that the free end of the armature 7 5'serves "as a locking latch for locking the front door of the compartment.- To this end the switch mechanism 22 for each compartment is mounted in close proximity to its respective compartment, after the manner shown in Figure 2, so that the end of the armature can project into the compartment and into a position'to engage with a keeper a 9 on the door, as Wlll be clearly understood.

It will be manifest that if the magnet 74 is energized, its armature 7i") will be attracted, causing the switch 79 to be closed. and the. switch 78 to be opened. This will break the 11;, currentto-the magnet, butthe armature will be locked in raised position, because theitoe of its projection 77 will b'e engaged behind the stop 81-, associated with the switch 78. Because of thefact that the free end of the 190 armature 7 5, when in depressed position, serves to lock the front door 6 closed, it will appear that when the arma-ture is raised, the front door will be unlocked and will im- 1 mediately be swung open by the spring 10. At the same time the projection 77 of the armature will move back of the stop 81 and the switch 78 will spring open in the manner hereinafter explained.

In practice, it is recommended that one meet-tea complete .wiringunit, as shown in Figure 5,

-be associated with each vertical tier of boxes,

3 and that this system be duplicated for each successive vertical tier. This lends not only to' simplicity in wiring, but renders the circults more easily coupled up. When, the

' s stem. shown in Figure 5. is associated with t e vertical tier of compartments, the uppermost push button and the lowermost push button are eachprovided'with two movable plug contacts, whereas, allthe intermediate push buttons are provided with three mov able lugcontacts. This allows of the wiring iagram shown in Figure 5 wherein the pushing of anyone button automatically cuts out all the others while being operated to complete'its own individual circuit. This is very important since it obviates any chance of the purchaser being able to open two or more compartments by depositing in the machine the required amount to open one. This automatic cut-out is the result of the operations of the push buttons which cause one contact to be made and a least one .to be broken when the push button is oper-.

ated. That isto say, in the terminal buttons, one contact is made and one broken, while 1n all the lntermediate ones'one contactis made .and twb are broken. In the operations of the push .button, the straight through circuit through the push button is broken and the magnet With'which the button is associated is shunted into the circuit aswill be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art. v

From what has been said relative to the selective push button system, it will appear that when the coins drop onthe lower balance 16 and partially complete thecircuit through the Wires 64 and 63, that the circuit can only be fully completed by the pressing of oneof the push buttons 23. '1 will assume for purposes of illustration, that the uppermost pushbutton, shown in Figure 1, is now pressed. When button 23 is pressed it breaks the straight through circuit at its rear end and in which-straightthrough circuit is included all of the otherbuttons. At the same time that thisv straight through circuit is broken, a shunt circuitthrough its magnet 74 is made by the forc most movable contact. As a result,the circuit is completed and the magnet 66 energized. It pulls down its armature 69 which has the effect of closing switches 71 and 72.

The pressing of the push button 23 not" only completes a circuit through the magnet 66, but also completes a circuit through the magnet 74,- which is also included in the samecircuit. This circuit is so constituted,

however, that the resistance therein is so great that insuflicient current-can be fed to the magnet 74 to operate saidmagnet for-the purpose. of opening-the door of the vending compartment, and said door can only be opened through the operation'of such magnetwhen an add tional circuit is thrown In to allow more current to pass through magnet 74 to asset in feeding current to that magnet. Thus, when the current is fed through the two circuits, the additional one. of WhlCll Wlll presently be described, the

magnet functions and the door of the vend ing compartment is unlocked. This additional circuit is in parallel with the circuit just described, and includes the following w ring. From the terminal A,'through the wire 97 too. cash registeror sales counter 98, thence throu h wires 99 and 100 to the selectmg switch 5 If a predetermined requisite number of coins have'been deposited in the machine the movable contact arm 42 will at this time be. in contact with the same fixed contact 45 as is selecting switch 57, so that current will flow from the switch 57, through the movable cont-act arm 42, and wire 93 to the positive main 37, and from the negative main 33, through the wires 63, switch con-- tacts 60 and 62, and through the wire 64 to the push button terminal B, and thence through the magnet, the push button of which was operated. At the same time another circuit is thrown, this circuit being shown as a branch of the wire 99, on the upper left hand corner of Figure 1. Thebranch circuit 101 leads to the magnet 102, which is the accept magnet of the com selecting combinatlon 20. From the magnet 102, a

magnet 102 is energized it attracts its armature with the result that a spring 104, acting through a pivoted arm 105 ion a crank. 106, moves a pivoted flap --107-which directs a-coin into either the accept chute 1801' into the reject chute 19. I I

As hcreinbefore explained, the engagement of the contacts 60 and 62 through the depositing of the coins on the*-lower balance, results in energizing the magnet 66 when the push button ispressed, and causes the closing of the switches 71 and 72. i 'Switch 71 closes the circuit, through the magnet 82 of the lower balance. The switch 72 partially closes another circuit in which is also included the switch 61. and magnets 40 and 38, which collectively serve the funcwire 103 leads to the terminal A. When the 83' and 87 are so arranged that the magnet a is adapted to have a much greater pull on the armature 87' than on the armature 83. As a result of this construction, the energizing ofthe magnet 82 by the circuit described causes the armature 87 to be drawn quickly toward the pull of the magnet, whereupon the cam pin 86 strikes the inclined portion 85 of the other armature 83 and throws the balance upwardly into the position in which it is shown in F gure 4. This movement is very rapid, and serves to efliciently unseat the coins. from the opposite end of the balance arm with the result that they are deposited into the coin chute 17 from which they are eventually returned to the customer, or accepted by the machine.

In the present instance, it will be accepted by the machine and will pass down through the accept chute 18, since the magnet 102 will have been previously energized to shift the directing fiat 107 into the position shown in dotted lines inj'iFigure 1, and the coin will bedirected down through thechute 18 into a, suitable receptacle in the machine.

During this rapid tilting movement of the lower balance the circuit is broken between the contacts 60 and 62 with the rc'sultthat all the push buttons are immediately rendered inoperative, so that another push button cannot be pushed to open a further compartment until further. coins are inserted. As soon as the balance is released from the weight of the coins, it will gravitate back into the positions shown in Figures 1 and 3, and when the armature 83 comes into proximity with the core of the magnet it will be drawn tightly to it, the purpose being to make a firm contact at the switch contacts 61. As soon as the-switch 61 is closed, a

' of current supply 32, from the source of current supply 32, through the main 37, wire 36 to the magnet 38, then through wire 89 to I the magnet 40. from n'iagnet 40 through wire 90, to the switch 72, from switch 72 through wire 91, back to theswitch 61. Through the completion of this circuit the magnets 38 and 40 are simultaneously energized with the result that both pawls 46 and 52 are simultaneously drawn free from the ratchet 41, whereupon the ratchet is mechanically thrown back toward normal position by the spring 56 about its pintle. Further, because of the momentum of the moving parts. the contact arm 42 over-rides the normal terminus of its travel, and the contact switch 44 momentarily engages a fixed contact 92. A circuit is established as follows: from contact 44 through the arm 42, wire 93 to the positive main 37, and from the negative main 33 through wire 94, to magnet 68, then through wire 95 to magnet 96. which a coin rejecting magnet, thence throu h the wire 109, back to the contact 92, wlth the result that the, magnet 96 will be'energized and through the arm 105 and crank 106 willously opens both of the switches 71 and 72,

deenergizing the magnet 82 of the lower balance and dcenergizing the magnets 38 and 40 of the multiple-point contact maker 14, at which time the spring 48 lifts the pawl 47 into engagement with the ratchet 41. and

moves the contact arm 42 into a neutral position where it is intermediate the contacts 92 and the first contact 45', but, free from engagement with either. I a

The manner in which the energizing of the coil 68 effects a simultaneous opening of both the switches'7l and 72 will be manifest from Figure 1 of the drawings. It will be noted that the armature 70 carries a finger 70, which bears against'a'heel 71' formed on one of the spring fingers of the switch 71. The upperspring finger of the switch 72 projects beneath a pin '69 on the" armature 69. When the coil 66 is energized and its armature 69 depressed, the pin 69 will-force the upper springfinger of. the switch'72 downwardly .to complete the circuit at the contacts of this switch and at the same time the stepped end of the armature 70' of the armature 70 thereby allowing the upper spring finger of the switch 71 to spring. downwardly and close its circuit. When the coil 68 is energized, it will atttra'ct its armature 7 0, thereby causing the-elbow 69 will be moved below the end'of thefinger v of the finger 70 to press against the heel 71 and lift the upper spring finger of the switch 71, therebybrea-kin'g the circuit of this switch and simultaneously the free end of the finger 7 0' will be withdrawn over the v stepped end of the armature 69, so asto permit the'spring associated with the opposite end of said armature to tiltthe armature up into the position shown in Figure 1. The raising of the pin 69. thuseifected will permit the upper spring finger of the switch 72 to be lifted and break the circuit of this switch. I v

At the conclusion of these operations, the front door of the food vending. chamber is open, its back door is closed, and the pros pective purchaser is free to remove the food from the compartment. However, when the push button magnets 74 have been operated to close the correspondingswitch 79 associated therewith, one of. a plurality of lamps 110, or other signaling'devices, which are associated with the compartments and in the back thereof, is energized. These lamps 110.

are signal lamps and are included in what may be'termed'a separate illuminating circuit composed-of twowires 111 which cut into the mains 33 and 37, and between which 1 wires the respective lamps 110 and switches 79 arecut in in parallel. With this con struction, when one ofthe front doors is unlocked, the corresponding signal 110 is si- -multaneously illuminated, so that the at tendant will know that the food in that paraccordance with this invention, made capaticular compartment has been vended and thatit should be replenished.

Inr'eplenishing the compartment the rear 'door 7 thereof must necessarily be'opened,

and this act of opening the rear door is,'1n

b'le of performing certain electrical functions which result inthe closing and locking of the front door.

. To this end each .ofthe back doors 7 is provided'with a projection 112, seeFigures 2 and 2 which projection extends beyond i the edge of the doora'nd presses against the stem-113 of the piston switch 114. A spring 115 normally serves to' force the piston switch outwardly to cause contacts 116 and 117 to be bridged by the metallic piston of the switch. However, .as long as the door is closed'the spring is retractedand the contacts broken at this'point. The contacts 116 and 117 are cut in in parallel with a'circuit 118 which is entirely independent of any of the circuits herein described and is not shown in Figure Lof the drawings, but ineach ofthe' parallel cut-ins of the switches 114 is includedone of the solenoids 24; hereinbefore referred to, and one of which is' associated with the front .door of each compartment through tension member 119, one end of which is con-.

- nected to the end of the drunk 8 on the trunnions of the corres onding front door, and

the other end of which is secured to the core- 24' of the associated solenoid 24. "The core 24' of the solenoid also has'a tension memher 120 which leads from thecore andis attached to the end of one element of the 'switch7 8 of the'corresponding door locking magnet mechanism 22. These parts are duplicated for each compartment, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

'As soon as the operator opens the rear door of a compartment to replenishthe supply of food therein, the switch 114 is al lowed to complete the circuit 118 and energize the corresponding solenoid 24. The

core 24 of said solenoid is drawn in, exert .ing tension simultaneously on the tension members 119 and 120. Thetension member 119 pulls the door shut, and at the same time -the tension member 120 lifts the lower spring elements of theswitch 78, and

mov'esthe stop 81 from in front of'the e x'- tension 77 of the magnet armature, whereupon the spring draws the magnet armaof the front doors.

the machine.

turned to the customer. Y

ture away from its magnet the toe of the projection 77 underneath the stop 81 as shown in Figure-1 'tohold the switch 78 closed; and simultaneously lock the door in closed position by bringing the free end of the armature into engagement with the latch or keeper 9 of the front door. The movement of the armature as described also automatically opens the switch 79 and ex tinguishes the syvitch lamp 110. The ma-' chine is now readyv for a reoccurrence of the operations described.

It will be noted hat the ciosing and locking of the front door'is' controlled entirely automaticallyby the rear door and incontradis'tinctipn to prior art devices, such control is effected entirely independently of mechanical connections. The'control is cf fected in a purely electromagnetic manner,

5 and there is absolutely no direct mechanical connections between the 'front and back doors.

The advantage of these electrical expedients over the prior mechanical devices are many; In the first place, no manual power is required by the attendant to close the front door, he merely makes a circuit at the back door and the weight of the door assists in the breaking of the same. Another --feature is that the electrical device is en'- tirely automatic and instantaneous, audit is cleaner and more sanitary than purely mechanical connections which require lubri-- cating oils and greases for their proper operation. Another advantage is that, in this invention, when current 'in circuit 118 is vshut off, any or all of the back doors may be opened for cleaning, or for other reasons a without in anywise effecting any operations In the foregoing description of the manumber of coins in the machine than is re-" quired, the coins will simply be returned to the person through the reject chute 19 for the reason that the movable contact arm 42 would not be juxtaposed with selecting I switch 57, and, accordingly, the shunt circuit, including the wires-'99, 109 and '93, would not becompleted, neither would the second shunt circuit 103, 101 and '93 be com pleted, and, accordingly,-there would be insuflicient current passing through the magnet 74 to' unlock thedoor andno current' passing through the magnet 102- to'accept,

the coins; therefore the coins would simply i pass through the' machine without accoms plish'ing any useful purpose and will be re a maybe here stated that the a swas mechanism 21 has the function of translating a momentary closing of a push button switch into a more or less permanent closing of an actuating circuit for controlling the magnet 82 of the lower coin balance 16, and further provides a safety cut-out for the resetting-circuit atthe switch 72.

' In practically applying the electrical arrangement of this invention to mechanical means for carrying out the desired functions, it will be noted that in practically every instance these mechanical means are self locking in their respective positions. An example of this has been clearly explained with reference "to 'the push button magnet mechanism 22, wherein the armature is locked in the position in which it unlocks the door.- Another example is evident in the relayswitch mechanism 21 from which it will be manifest that the respective armatures of magnets 66 and 68 lock one another in either of their positions, and this is also. true of the accept andreject coin mechanism 20, where the armatures of the respective magnets serve to lock the directing flap 107 in either its accepting or rejecting position. i

In Figure Got the drawings is shown a novel arrangement whereby, smaller coins than those required-to operate the machine may be diverted from coming in contact with the u per balance. 15. This I accomplish by -setting coin chute 13 slightly to form a reverse curve, and the coin chute is made with an open side as shown. If a coin of the proper dimension (for example a five cent piece) isinserted in the slot 11 it 1 will gravitate down through the coin chute 13, swing around the reverse curve and be deposited on the tray of the upper balance. However, if a small coin (for example a penny or a dime) is introduced into the coin slot, with the result that instead of swinging around the reverse curve, its momentum will cause it to tilt out of the chute 13 and fall into a passageway or chute 130 which leads back to the outside of the machine so that the coin is returned to the pros-- pective customer.

From the foregolng detail description of the invention, it-will appear that the machine embodies," broadly speaking, a plurality of compartments each of which is provided with a lock which is operable from what may be termed a master unlocking'device which serves: to control the locks of all the compartments. This unlocking device is normally inoperative to elfect .an un-- .lockin of any 'of the compartments until a pre etermined number of coins have been deposited in the machine, andev'en then it remains inoperative until one of the push bfittons-intheselective push button system is operated to selectively direct the dormant energy of the master unlocking device for ineffective, so that a purchaser cannot open more than one compartment for the required for any one of them.

Referrmgto the selective push button sysprice tem, it has been thus made for the reason that its controlling elements are, in the preferred embodiment of the invention shown,

push buttons. However, these elements may be any form of manually operated switch and the term push'button is to be construed as carrying this broad meaning. Furthermore in adapting the invention to its various environments structural changes and modifications may be made without, for example the substitution of equivalents, departing from the spirit of this invention, 8 which is to be understood as broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus'fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: I

1. A vending machine embodying a plu rality of dispensing compartments, a coin controlled master device for unlocking any of said compartments, means associated with the coin controlled master device for rendering it operable only when a predetermined number of coins have been deposited in the machine, selective push button mechanism for selectively rendering an one of the compartments responsive to the operations of the master coin device, and means for automatically returning an incorrect number of coins deposited in the machine to the depositor.

A vending machine embodying a plurality'of dispensing compartments, electromagnetic means. for normally locking the compartments closed, coin controlled master operating means, including means for rendering it efiective only when a (predetermined number of co1 ns has been eposited in the machine, manually operable means I tomatically returning an incorrect number of coins deposited in thenmachine to the depositor. t 1 1 t a 3. 'A vending machine embodying a plurality of dispensing compartments, electro-' M magnetic means for normally locking the' compartments closed, a single coin sloticommon to all of said compartments, coin. controlled master operating means, including 7 p means for rendering it effective only when a predetermined number of coins has been "operating deposited in a single coin slot of the machine and manually operable means for rendering the electro-magnetic'locking means of any particular compartment responsive to the operations of the .coin controlled master means to the exclusion of the electro-magnetic means of the remaining compartments, in combination with means for subsequently resetting the coin controlled master operating means to render it normally ineflective.

4. A vending machine embodying a plurality of vending compartments, electromagnetic locks, one of which is associated with each compartment, manually operable means for completing an electric circuit through any particular lock, when one or more coins are introduced into the machine, which circuit is of such high resistance relative to itscurrent that, of itself, it. is inoperable to operate the lock, and another circuit also including the lock and adapted to be completed through the insertion of a predetermined number of coins into the machine for the purpose of augmenting the current fed to the same.

5. A vending machine embodying a plurality of compartments, electro-magnetic locks, one of which is associated with each compartment, means associated with each compartment for efiecting the flow of a feeble electric current through the current is insufiicient to operate the lock, and means, common to all compartments, and operable by the depositing .of a predetermined number of coins in the machine to augment the feeble current sufliciently to operate the look. I

6. A vending machine embodying a-plurality 'of compartments, a master unlockin' device common to all the compartments, an a selective switch system for selectively effecting the unlocking of any particular comlock sufliciently to operate the partment to the exclusion of the remainingv compartments when a predetermined numhas been introduced into the machine, in combination with means in the path of a coin through the machine for conditioning the master operating'device for operation only when a. predetermined number of coins have been introduced into the maber of come chine, and means controlled by the master.

operating device for accepting the coins in the machine or returning them to the prospective purchaser.

lock, which 7 7. A vending machine embodying a plurality oi compartments a master unlocking device common to all the compartments, and a selective switch system for. selectively eflectingthe unlocking of. an particular compartment to the exclusion ot the remaining 'compartments when a predetermined number of coins has been introduced into the machine, in combination with electrical means 'forconditioning the master operating device for operation onlywhen-a; redetermined number of coins have been eposited in the machine, and electro-magnetic means positioned within the machine and controllable by the master unlocking device for effecting the return of the wrongl number of coins or the accepting of the rig t number.

8. A vending machine embodying vending mechanism the o erations of which are controlled by a switch comprising a plural ity of stationary contacts'and a movable contact, means adapted to advance the movable contact over the stationary oontacts one at a time upon the insertion of a plurality of coins in succession, and electrical means for operating the vending mechanism andincluding the movable contact and one. of the fixed contacts in circuit, whereby the circuit will be closed at theswitch after the right number of coins havebeen deposited to bring the movable contact into enga ement wit the fixed contacts included in t e circuit, in combination with means. for automatically returning the movable contact to its initial position after the vending mechanism has een operated and means r automatically returning a wrong number in the machine to the depositor.

9. i A vending machine .embod mechanism the operations ingvending operation there and means contro led y coins deposited in the machine for advancing the switch one step at a time as each coin is deposited,

whereby the switch is closed after a predeof coins deposited of w ich are con- I trolled'by an electric switch adapted to be clfo'scd through step b ste t and means for automatically return a wrong number of coins deposited with- .in the machine to the depositor. 

